On 6/12/05, Wesley Alden Pegden <wes@cs.uchicago.edu> wrote: > SNIP < >I notice my gauges are all reading low (gas tank and temperature are both way >below what I would expect), so I pulled into a gas station see whether the gauge > Wes > '84 vanagon (manual) The gauges reading low shows that the running voltage is too low. You have a couple of possibilities: 1) The battery is so dead that even with a functional charging system, it can't charge the battery AND supply enough power to keep the engine running. 2) The charging system isn't working and that is why the battery went dead. It also could be a combination of both 1 and 2! Pull the battery and have it tested at a FLAPS. If it is no good replace it, if it's good charge it (they will need to charge it to check it anyway). Once you have a good battery, see if you can get the van started. If it starts, check the voltage when the van is running, if it isn't over 13.5 volts with the engine running at ~2500 RPM, there is something wrong with your charging system (alternator or regulator - also check that you have good connections and that the charge wire is connected - your alternator light does come on when you first turn the key on, right?). Let us know what you find... -- Don in Reidsville, NC 1986 Kawasaki Concours 1988 Vanagon GL (Sylvia) "Why do they call it a fixed income, if mine is always broke?" |
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